Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Bewitching Illusions
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The martial artist Wi Mu-yeon let out a sigh.
He had originally planned to handle things as calmly as possible, but sure enough, his master had immediately stirred up trouble.
But there was no helping it. As a disciple, it was only right to follow his master.
Wi Mu-yeon stared silently at the woman in front of him.
Her power didn't seem all that impressive. Yet the tip of her gracefully moving fan exuded a bewitching aura, and at the same time, a sweet fragrance wafted from somewhere.
"...May I ask the lady's name?"
"What good would knowing it do? Nothing will change."
"At the very least, I'd like to know the name of the one I'm about to take down."
"How arrogant. That's just like men."
---Thud.
The woman snapped her fan shut.
"If there's anything you desire, say it now."
"What do you...?"
"I'm asking if you have a dream you'd like to have."
"What nonsense is this?"
"Just what I said. Soon you'll dance like a puppet until you drop dead, so shouldn't you at least see the scenery you want at the end?"
Wi Mu-yeon started to open his mouth.
But suddenly, her voice grew distant.
"I've laid low enough warriors under me to pile into a mountain. Each one lost their martial arts and staggered away gasping."
"What...?!"
"But is that really all there is to me? Sucking them dry with pleasant, happy dreams?"
---Whoosh.
The sound of the fan opening rang out.
Wi Mu-yeon suddenly realized the ground had given way beneath him.
His body began falling endlessly. Amid it all, he immediately righted his posture.
It's narrowing. And distancing at the same time.
The annex where he'd clearly had his footing just moments ago vanished from sight in an instant.
"Sorcery?! You think something like this will work on me...!"
"It will. Even a fake ocean suffocates you if you're trapped in it. The Bewitching Demon Illusion Array was created to kill from the start."
"Who the hell are you...?!"
"Is an illusion endlessly close to reality fake, or real?"
Her voice echoed from multiple places at once.
In the darkness, countless women holding swords began to approach.
"See for yourself. While you're still alive."
...
The martial artist Chang Go-jeok coughed. A sweet scent brushed his nose.
His senior brother, Wi Mu-yeon. The woman facing him had suddenly used some strange technique. Misty fog burst from a gourd, and the two vanished simultaneously.
A bizarre phenomenon like the man sinking into the earth. Chang Go-jeok shouted with all his might.
"Wh-what sorcery is this?! Explain! Where did you take my senior brother?!"
"Wh-why would she answer just because you ask? Huh?"
"You bastard!!"
Chang Go-jeok charged immediately, smashing an entire wall with his fist. The man who leaped up, his fingertips blazing with fist energy, clicked his tongue.
"Hey, isn't that a bit too brutish? How about we talk instead? I'm not confident in a straight fight."
"If you're not confident, then scram!"
"But Master Wu asked for my help first... I can't just leave. Plus, she helped me out, and honestly, I kinda want to stick with her. Rare info like that walking around beside me."
"What bullshit!"
"Did I bark like a dog or something? Bullshit? I'm just talking to myself, and you're the weird one replying every time. I wasn't talking to you."
"You fucking bastard!"
---Boom!!!
The struck wall flew off again. Heat surged.
The man, moving like a black wind, clicked his tongue.
"What uncouth martial arts. Let me see. I've seen that fist technique a few times. One with that scorching explosive force... Fire Heaven Fist Demon's style?"
"How do you know that?!"
"The guy caught by Black Young Master is your senior brother, right? Tsk. Must be Wi Mu-yeon. So you're Chang Go-jeok?"
Chang Go-jeok trembled. He'd only thrown two punches, yet his full name was revealed.
Spit flew from his mouth. Unable to hold back, he asked again.
"Who the hell are you to know us?!"
"Come on. I'm right here saying 'I'm so-and-so---' plain as day. Not recognizing that would be weirder."
"You mocking me?!"
"Not mocking, just stating facts. You don't even look smart enough to be worth teasing anyway. No fun."
"You fucking bastard!"
---Boom!!!!
Part of the annex collapsed. The man shifted again, landing on the ruined wall.
"Anyway, Brother Chang. How about sitting down? No point in sweating it out when neither gains."
"Stop dodging like a slippery eel and face me! Coward!"
"Why face a fight with no gain? I'm frail, you know. Not suited for strength contests. But..."
The muttering man rose from the wall.
"If I want Master Wu's company, I gotta show basics at least. Sigh. No choice."
"What are you babbling...!"
"Hey. I didn't say I'd do your strength contest. So shut up now... Let's see."
The man glanced at the moon.
"Perfect full moon. Hmm. Very nice. Know Moon Shadow Body?"
"What?"
"Yeah, you wouldn't. Few have seen it, most died. Pinnacle lightness skill. No sound from the toes, presence melts into moonlight..."
In the sound of regulated breathing, Chang Go-jeok saw it.
The man before him, clearly visible yet utterly unfelt.
"I said I didn't want to. Whatever happens now is your fault, so take responsibility."
...
Fire Heaven Fist Demon Gun Ho-gwang cracked his knuckles.
His tempered body was tougher than any rocky mountain. Not just that-his fingertips could shatter soft iron instantly, pulverizing everything inside.
Fire Heaven Explosion Art.
Yes, that was the nature of his art.
A martial art that crushed anything in sight in one go.
That was why Fire Heaven Fist Demon had held back somewhat. He needed the opponent alive to get answers. Even a three-year-old knew corpses didn't reply.
So he'd planned to simply snap both arms. But the moment the bastard drew his sword, he changed his mind.
"...That presence..."
The presence was off.
Not just surging bloodlust making his body twitch.
Look. Those aligned movements. Everything flowing from them was beautifully refined.
Elegant motion? No. Not that. Something far removed.
The fundamentals he'd hammered into his disciples countless times.
A man who had polished them to the extreme stood before him. A rare sight in these times.
Martial arts evolved with the era.
Body techniques gave way to swordsmanship.
External arts yielded to internal energy supremacy.
Destructive demonic arts especially favored instant power. When life hung by a thread, overwhelming force to crush foes was naturally more popular than painstaking basics.
Growth speed differed.
True, limits were clear, but few reached them anyway.
Modern martial arts prioritized internal energy. It was efficient, deemed correct.
...But real masters knew. Those blocked by walls chasing only energy knew too.
Why ancient warriors chose the hard path.
Why they obsessed over bodily balance over raw energy.
Untamed beasts of comfort. Thus, veterans wanted disciples on that hard road.
Hadn't he himself? Passing the unfinished Fire Heaven Explosion Art to heirs, wishing their bodies surpass his.
But people don't heed words blindly. He'd stressed effort, yet geniuses ignored it.
Obsessed with tools at hand. Fixated on honing Fire Heaven Explosion Art alone, skimping heart method and forms, rushing next stages.
Growth.
Warriors prioritizing only that.
But... this one... this is different.
Fire Heaven Fist Demon's eyes gleamed with greed.
"What's your sect?"
"None."
"...Name of your art?"
"Nine Heavens Blood Demon Art."
"Nine Heavens Blood Demon Art! From Blood Demon Squad? But weird! Too weird! Solo learner would've entered heart demon! Not that sinister! Not flashy!"
Fire Heaven Fist Demon bared his teeth.
Greed. For the man. But beyond, something more.
Any warrior would, right? Faced with such a straight sword, wouldn't you clash once?
Nine Heavens Blood Demon Art or whatever-irrelevant. Even Seven Stars Sect matters on hold.
Martial against martial.
That clash was a Fire Heaven Fist Demon's duty.
"Kuhaha! Liar! Come on! As promised, first move's yours!"
"...Your resilience exceeds my expectations, enduring the thread wrapped in energy..."
The man stepped forward.
"I won't hold back."
Fire Heaven Fist Demon spread his senses. Predicting approach, he moved too.
Flames sparked from his Fire Heaven Explosion Art-empowered body. Muscles swelled explosively to block incoming strikes.
Protective energy. Fiery aura wrapped his whole form.
Come on. Where?
Which way!
Feint? Change? Quick?
Any style fine! I'll take it with body, then counter!
"I am the Fire Heaven Fist Demon! Brat! Pour it all out! If you don't wanna die!"
His bellow carried power, shaking the air. With it, the man's drawn sword moved.
And Fire Heaven Fist Demon saw it.
The sword technique flowing seamlessly.
"...This?!"
In an instant, bloodlust poured. Not just that-the blade piercing energy flow precisely emitted an eerie sound.
A chill freezing his feet. But not mere brute force.
The sword strike itself was abnormal. Fire Heaven Fist Demon hastily raised his arm to block what he'd planned to tank.
---Krunch!!!
Protective energy...
Protective energy pierced?!
"What the...?!"
Urgently surged power strengthened flames. Fire Heaven Explosion Art howled at full might, ready to burst.
Yet the realm-piercing strike devoured his energy. It froze raging flames in a flash, carving an indelible gash on his upper body.
"Grraaah?!"
What bizarre power?!
Far heavier than it looks!
Fire Heaven Fist Demon retreated desperately, somersaulting repeatedly. Still unable to shake the shock fully, he crashed into the annex wall.
---Boom!!!
Dust and debris poured. Fire Heaven Fist Demon swept it away with a swing, then felt his upper body.
Blood. Definitely bleeding. Even with carelessness, it shattered his energy and scarred atop?
With that straightforwardness alone?
"You... bastaaard...!"
Fire Heaven Fist Demon's shoulders heaved. Unable to hold back, he grinned.
"Making me enjoy this! Kahahaha!!! Rejecting such a grand gift would be rude! I'll split your skull myself!"
"...Enduring the energy-wrapped needle thread... I thought it'd pierce a vital spot... Then, as expected, switch to latter half..."
The man opening his mouth halted. He fiddled with his sheathed sword naturally, gazing at Fire Heaven Fist Demon.
"Shall we continue?"
"What bullshit! Of course to the end...!"
"My companions handled things better than expected. I don't fancy this either... but I'm busy, no choice."
"What?"
Fire Heaven Fist Demon whipped his head around.
The spreading mist far off cleared slowly. Within, his eldest disciple, crushed by the woman.
Not just that-his second, bound head to toe in threads.
Both lacking somewhat in teaching, yet peak experts.
No average foes could subdue them this fast...
"M-Master..."
"S-Sorry..."
"...Tsk."
Fire Heaven Fist Demon suppressed boiling battle lust. Sighed, retracting heat.
"Useless brats. Fine. What do you want? I'll hear you out first."
"Let's talk. Why'd you attack us?"
"Attack? Aren't you enemies of our dear Mi-ryeong?"
"...Mi-ryeong? You mean Yeon Mi-ryeong, the rumored sole survivor of Seven Stars Sect?"
"Yes. This hideout's secret from all but sect. Believing culprits return, we waited. You lot showed up, so we grabbed you. That's it."
"Seems like a misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding my ass?"
"Just that. We're after them too, if anything. Yeon Mi-ryeong's linked to missing Blood Demon Squad member somehow."
"Blood Demon Squad...? Why's that name here?"
"The one I'm seeking is Blood Demon Squad's Wolhyang."
"......."
Fire Heaven Fist Demon sighed.
"Eh. Tsk. Thought I'd cut loose after ages... This pity for non-enemies. Real deals like you are rare... Ha! Since you spoke, spill details! I'll think after."